U.S. Pat. No. 6,325,253, assigned to the assignee of the present application, discloses a fluid dispensing closure, package and method of manufacture in which a housing has a base for securement to the finish of a container, and a peripheral wall extending from the base toward an open end spaced from the base. A flexible resilient liner is captured within the peripheral wall of the housing, and has a flange extending axially through the opening at the upper end of the housing. A flow tip is captured within the liner, and extends through the liner flange and the housing opening. In the preferred embodiment disclosed in the noted patent, the flow tip has a plurality of circumferentially spaced vanes, and fluid flow passages between the vanes extend from the base of the flow tip to the upper end of the flow tip beneath the flange of the liner. Pressure applied to the flange by fluid in the passages resiliently expands the flange away from the flow tip to permit egress of fluid from the passages, and removal of such fluid pressure allows resilient collapse of the liner over the ends of the passages. A general object of the present invention is provide a fluid dispensing closure, a closure and container package, and/or a method of making a closure of the type disclosed in the noted patent but having improved control of fluid discharge from the flow tip and/or improved support of the liner by the flow tip.
A fluid dispensing closure in accordance with one aspect of the present invention includes a housing having a base for securement to a container and a peripheral wall extending from the base toward an open end spaced from the base. A flexible resilient liner is captured within the peripheral wall of the housing, and has a flange extending through the open end of the housing peripheral wall. A flow tip has a body captured within the liner and an outer end extending through the open end of the housing peripheral wall and through the flange of the flexible resilient liner. The flow tip has at least two fluid flow passages disposed within the liner, and a circumferential channel underlying the flange and interconnecting ends of the passages. Pressure applied to the flange by fluid in the passages and channel expands the flange away from the flow tip and channel to permit egress of fluid from the channel, and removal of such pressure allows resilient collapse of the flange over the channel to seal the passages. The circumferential channel provides improved control of fluid flow from the dispensing closure.
A fluid dispensing closure in accordance with a second aspect of the invention, which may be implemented separately from or more preferably in combination with other aspects of the invention, includes a housing having a base for securement to a container and a peripheral wall extending from the base toward an open end spaced from the base. A flexible resilient liner is captured within the peripheral wall of the housing, and has a flange extending through the open end of the housing peripheral wall. A flow tip is captured within the liner and has an outer end extending through the open end of the housing peripheral wall and through the flange. The flow tip includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced vanes coupled to the outer end of the flow tip, with spaces between the vanes forming fluid flow passages from an inner end of the flow tip to the outer end. A ring interconnects ends of the vanes remote from the outer end of the flow tip. The ring provides a seating surface for an end of the liner remote from the flange, providing enhanced seating and stability for the lower end of the liner.